Senior Girl: Interview 3

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Senior Girl

1) How does Andover approach racial divisons and diversity on campus? How does this approach integrate minority students into our community?

Racial divisions on campus? It doesn’t. I feel like racial divisions isn’t addressed much. It stops after admissions. The administration claims youth from every corner but the youth that don’t look alike don’t hang out together. Things are also divided by the way they act as opposed to their race. For example the black students who act white hang with the white students and the black students who act black hang with the black kids.

2) Are there certain expectations other people have of you because of your race? Do you feel that other students hold you to act to “black or ethnic” steryotypes?

If anything, I feel as though people expect me to be like from the “hood” or “ghetto” and I’m not. Or they consider me to be just African American and I don’t. I consider myself part African and part African American.

3) Are there certain extracurricular activities you feel you cannot do at this school because of your race?

I feel like somepeople feel that they can’t do crew because it is a steryotypicaly white sport.

4) Have you ever felt invisible because of your race at Andover? If you have a specific experience would you mind sharing it?

I feel like a lot of black girls here feel invisible especially to guys. They don’t feel pretty black guys white guys, no guys want them and that really effects life here.

5) Do you think people at this school; students, teachers and faculty, would treat you differently if you were of a different race?

Defintley! I feel like a lot of black females at this school feel that if they were a different race they would get more guys. If you are from a white area, you are not exposed to black females. People say it’s a personal pefereance but it is more so based on where you have grown up.

6) Do people ever tokenize you? For example do people ask you to speak on behalf of your entire race? “As a person of color, what do you think about….”

Yes in history class, my teacher always looks at me when he acts questions, for example he asked the class about a specific thing the NAACP did and he looked at me expecting me to answer. I could see his disappointment when I didn’t answer like I was supposed to know the information.

7) Is there a “typical black Andover student” if so how would you define him or her?

A typical black andover student that someone likes is loud and a crowd pleaser.

8) Has Andover ever made you feel ashamed of your race?

If I feel like my black friends are giving the black race a bad name by being loud and obnoxious or just portraying the stereotypical black personality then I feel ashamed. But I think I am more ashamed about feeling ashamed in the first place. It’s like I can’t win.

9) What does it mean to be “pretty for a black girl?”

Skinny, light skinned, not nappy hair, light colored hair.

10) Have people ever qualified you based on your race for example, “You are articulate for a black person, you are bad at dancing for a black person”

Yes but it works both ways. Black people say the same thing about white people. Like “you are a really good dancer for a white person.” I think everyone is a little bit to blame here.

11) Do you feel that there is self-segregation or segregation within our community based on race? What do you think perpetuates i

I feel like a lot of it is de facto segregation. I think steryotypes have come to the point that they are so engrained that they are engrained in the minds of all people. Steryotype threat. For example people conform to steryotyes expected of them. I think the problem has become that black people force the steyotypes upon each other. The race expects others to act the steryotype as well. People think that whites have it better

12) Do you feel that you have to dress, talk or act a certain way so people will make assumptions about you because of your race?

Yes. I think it is a reality for every black person (faculty included) when they are around people of their race they have to act like an educational and prove why they have the degrees they do or the positions they have. They must act a certain way around white people who are always judging and when they are around people of their own race they can relax a little bit more.